Would You Ever Swap Out your "J" for One of the Small Autos?

[adams484]

My thought on it is simple. 38+P or 357 in a J-Frame or one of its clones makes a nice backup carry and even a good primary carry. They don't jam up as often and you can hand it off to a trusted companion is a fire fight without them having a learning curve. Even an inexperienced person needs only ten seconds to figure it out.

No safeties to locate, no mag release to find, and no slide release. Even a small handed women or someone with hand strength issues can load a J-Frame without much effort or tutorial.

As my main carry, not so much but I do carry one occasionally when I feel like going light. But I will take a 38 +P over a 9MM any day of the week and with the option of tossing in 357 well heck, what more can you ask for except 3 more rounds.

 

[pwberndt]

SNIP
As my main carry, not so much but I do carry one occasionally when I feel like going light. But I will take a 38 +P over a 9MM any day of the week and with the option of tossing in 357 well heck, what more can you ask for except 3 more rounds.

This is the point of my earlier post about the 327 & 627 PC revolvers. 8 rounds in 357. Expensive but reliable.

 

[brokugin]

I've tried small autos, but I won't give up my M37. I've been a wheel gun man since I could walk, and the revolver will always be my first choice.

 

[rwsmith]

No....

In a word, no. If I had a J frame I would want to hang on to it and save up to get a small semi auto. If I sold it, I would immediately want another one, so why bother?

 

[webley green]

Sell my SW Model 38 or the wife sell her SW 642. Not gonna happen. Now getting a pocket semi-auto, sure; but the J-Frames stay.

 

[Budnjax]

J frames are OK to carry, but not to shoot

meaning they are small, sometimes light-weight and will fit in a pocket but the trigger pulls (without great modification) are awful, making the guns difficult to shoot double action. For a plinking .22 I love my S&W j-frames with exposed hammers where I can shoot single action and that's fine. However, for a carry small revolver I much prefer any of the Colt D frames (now long out of production) or the Ruger LCR series.....much better triggers and the Colt's frame is a bit bigger, plus they hold 6 rounds, not 5.

 

[DepOne]

Kahrs

I have never owned a Kahr but have shot several of them. Friends that have them love them, and I have never met anyone who didn't like them. I thought they were well made and shot very well. The only thing I didn't like about them was that they require a 200+ round "break in" period before the factory feels they are reliable enough to carry for self defense. My opinion, if that's the case, the factory should fire them until they are suitable for carry.

 

[GCT00427]

I did. I had a no lock 442 for a couple of years and traded it for a CM9 Kahr. I have never regretted it. It is just easier to carry than the J frame was. I also carry the LCP. I think that they are both great little automatics. I also had an LC9 back a couple of years and would love to pick-up the LC9sPro. Bought the wife a 9mm Shield to carry. The only regret that I have in all the small autos that I have or have had is the Glock 42. Mine was just not worth a flip and I was glad to get rid of it.

Regards,

Chuck

 

[Rpg]

I much prefer my M 38 to the current little autos.

I do like my Colt 1903.

 

[DepOne]

TRAIN!

I recently took a young ( late twenties) couple out to the farm to shoot some handguns. They are both interested in getting their concealed carry permits. They wanted to sample a variety of handguns. I let them try a glock 19, and 42, s&w 36 and 642. They both have had limited handgun experience but could hit the target at self defense distances. The had a few malfunctions with the semi-autos, mostly operator error, limp wrist, etc. , but they really enjoyed shooting the glocks. However,they had zero malfunctions with the j frames!!!!!
This was very interesting for me to watch, as they made no mistakes with the j frames and were able to keep their shots on target. It just proved to me again that for self defense, simpler is better, I'll stick with J frame for EDC.

All that proves is, train properly no matter what you carry. Don't just buy a gun and start carrying it around or let some "friend" teach you how (or when) to shoot.

 

[usmc2427765]

confidence and reliability

I started in law enforcement in 1972 and carried a Model 19 and a model 36. I was comfortable with them then and now. If I was to start in law enforcement today, I would probably carry a Glock as a primary weapon but always,always a J frame backup revolver.

 

[Frank V]

NEVER! NEVER, NEVER!!!!
had to put 3 nevers because you need 10 chartacters for the message to accept it.

 

[FSTJACK]

I love the little J's and do carry out one of several when out of state.
I have several semi autos that I carry during the winter, then have a J on my ankle in a sheep's skin as well.
I have never had a failure to fire in many, many thousands of rounds with a J.

 

[Green Frog]

Would you swap out a hammer for a pair of pliers? It depends, what is the job at hand? When in doubt, have both as well as a screw driver or two. with guns, a revolver (or three) a semi auto (or three) and a few long guns should be available as needed. JMHO, but "Beware of the man with only one gun" is a suggestion, not policy!

Froggie

 

[BE Mike]

I have never owned a Kahr but have shot several of them. Friends that have them love them, and I have never met anyone who didn't like them. I thought they were well made and shot very well. The only thing I didn't like about them was that they require a 200+ round "break in" period before the factory feels they are reliable enough to carry for self defense. My opinion, if that's the case, the factory should fire them until they are suitable for carry.

I never was a fan of Kahrs and it took a lot of convincing for me to buy one (years in fact). The two that I'm intimately familiar with are accurate and reliable. 200 rounds for a break in is probably overkill. I've seen them function reliably after less than a magazine. That being said, I feel like the factory suggestion is motivation for the purchaser to go out to the range and get some serious trigger time. I've read that most handguns never get shot after being purchased. That's much worse, if true. BTW, I've seen new guns from many manufacturers not function reliably straight out of the box.

 

[claudel]

I like my 649-3 a lot, but I've got my eye out for a Sig P230 in .32 ACP for a backup/NY reload...

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Nope. But I carry my 642 in my left pocket and have had several pistols magazine release get bumped and "pop" the mag is unseated.

I didn't think most of the little pocket autos are bad, just not for me.

 

[Kingpros1326]

J Frame as an excellent backup

I was authorized to carry a backup as a DHS/ICE Agent. Our Senior Firearms Instructor recommended the 340 Sc. Although it weighed 12 oz. I was comfortable carrying it as a duty weapon. My primary weapon was an H&K USP Compact. When I had office duty, my H&K went into the locker but I carried the 340 Sc. Now that I am retired, I still carry the 340 and an H&K P2000 SK. under HR 218.

 

[Frank V]

I'm still a J fan.

 

[K-framer]

What ? Jeesh ! I JUST switched from small autos to an Airweight J-frame (442) for carry.....and now you want me to switch BACK ??!! What a crazy notion !

Just kidding. A bit of levity there (a very TINY bit, OK ?).

Actually, seriously, I did just switch from small autos (and autos in general) back to revolvers only....and got the J-frame as an EDC to complement my K-frames (which I consider too heavy for every day carry). I feel like I've come home. Love'em.

So, no, at this point I would not consider going back. If it don't spin around and ya don't put 38 specials in it.....it ain't a real shootin' iron !

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.